Marian Vajda: Defeat from Melzer was turning point in Djokovic career

As Andy Murray will recognise, every top player has to go through some sort of heartbreak in order to fulfil their true potential. In fact, it is often a crushing defeat that triggers the stubborn, almost obsessional focus possessed by the great champions.

Turning point: Novak Djokovic indentifies a French Open meltdown against Austria’s Jürgen Melzer as a crucial moment in his career Photo: REUTERS
By Simon Briggs, in Melbourne6:53PM GMT 27 Jan 20132 Comments
In the case of Novak Djokovic, that moment came at the French Open almost three years ago. In a quarter-final against Austria’s Jürgen Melzer, he was the almost unbackable favourite – the third seed about to take on the world No 27. But despite leading by two sets and a break, he let the match slip away.
“That was the turnaround, mentally,” said Djokovic’s coach Marian Vajda. “After that defeat, he convinced himself that he had to work harder.
“I started working with him in 2006,” Vajda told Telegraph Sport, “and I remember that he said, 'I really will be No 1, I really feel for that.’ Then he won his first major in Melbourne in 2008. But he had difficulty backing it up. He was always great, he was No 3 in the world, but he wasn’t patient. He said, 'When, when, when?’ I said, 'It takes time, you have to work on this and this and this. When you get it together everything will be fine.’
“I told him not to rush but there was a period in 2009 when he did start rushing and he was not believing. It was not a good year, it was up and down.
"He asked Todd Martin to help him improve his serve, because at that time he had no serve, and his forehand was short. But if you are somebody who can win matches without a serve and without big powerful strokes, it shows that you are so mentally strong.

“When Todd came it was counter-productive. We were splitting the weeks between him and me. This process didn’t go well. Somehow Todd didn’t recognise Novak as a holistic person.
"The chemistry wasn’t there. I was back-stage. I was waiting. I didn’t want to leave because I understand that coaching is a process. I stayed patient because I know with Novak’s talent he wanted to try so much, and he is open. He had a great base but he just wanted to adjust some small things.
“Even after he came back to me I wanted to work more and he was sometimes escaping. But then when we came to the court, he was focused, he was winning the important points, basically he was a fighter, he would never give up any ball. And then, after he lost to Melzer from two sets up in 2010, he looked at himself. Since then, he has had the momentum.”
Serbia’s Davis Cup win at the end of 2010 is usually seen as the moment when Djokovic blossomed. It certainly gave him a huge emotional boost, a reminder of the unbridled joy he had experienced here in Melbourne at the age of just 20. But Djokovic himself agrees with Vajda that the Melzer meltdown was a turning point.
“It did change things,” Djokovic said. “I remember 2010 as a very special year in my career because the first six months were very difficult in terms of results and also my health was pretty bad. I won a title in Dubai but beside that my game was not there, I changed my serve technique. I had a lot of mental issues. Every single pro athlete has to go through this crisis period in his career.
“I lost that match and then from Wimbledon on, in the second part of the year, I started playing much better and being more confident on the court. I felt I got a huge relief mentally rather than anything else. My serve was coming back, and then the Davis Cup title came at the right moment for myself and my country and all of my colleagues, because that’s when I got a strong wind in my back, and it switched momentum.
“For four years, I had been the No 3 of the world, but still I felt like I hadn’t reached my full potential. I felt I could maximise that potential in years to come and then I have made that – as my coach said – crucial switch in my head and my mentality. And from there it all came together.”
With six grand slam titles already under his belt, Djokovic is more than delivering on his early promise. Murray and the other members of the 'Big Four’ could be forgiven for wondering why, on that critical day in Paris, Melzer could not simply have thrown in the towel.

And Nadal defeating Djokovic at RolandGarros2012 was another turning point in Djokovic's career. A turning point in the wrong direction.

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Yea since then Nadal has won 1 single match in a major against Bellucci at Wimbledon while Djokovic reached a semi, final and won the AO recently. You can clearly see which one of the 2 took went the wrong path.

Yea since then Nadal has won 1 single match in a major against Bellucci at Wimbledon while Djokovic reached a semi, final and won the AO recently. You can clearly see which one of the 2 took went the wrong path.

Click to expand...

Watson: What is it you people say here? Powned? Or something like that

Yea since then Nadal has won 1 single match in a major against Bellucci at Wimbledon while Djokovic reached a semi, final and won the AO recently. You can clearly see which one of the 2 took went the wrong path.

Yea since then Nadal has won 1 single match in a major against Bellucci at Wimbledon while Djokovic reached a semi, final and won the AO recently. You can clearly see which one of the 2 took went the wrong path.

The 2010 French Open loss to Melzer was the last time Djokovic failed to make at least the semis of a Slam. Since then:

2010 Wimbledon (semis, lost to Berdych)
2010 US Open (final, lost to Nadal).
2011 Australian Open (final, beat Murray).
2011 French Open (semis, lost to Federer).
2011 Wimbledon (final, beat Nadal).
2011 US Open (final, beat Nadal).
2012 Australian Open (final, beat Nadal).
2012 French Open (final, lost to Nadal).
2012 Wimbledon (semis, lost to Federer).
2012 US Open (final, lost to Murray).
2013 Australian Open (final, beat Murray).

So in terms of his subsequent Slam performances, that 2010 FO quarter-final loss was indeed a turning point for him.

the Melzer moment: “When Todd came it was counter-productive. We were splitting the weeks between him and me. This process didn’t go well. Somehow Todd didn’t recognise Novak as a holistic person.
"The chemistry wasn’t there. I was back-stage. I was waiting. I didn’t want to leave because I understand that coaching is a process. I stayed patient because I know with Novak’s talent he wanted to try so much, and he is open. He had a great base but he just wanted to adjust some small things.
“Even after he came back to me I wanted to work more and he was sometimes escaping. But then when we came to the court, he was focused, he was winning the important points, basically he was a fighter, he would never give up any ball. And then, after he lost to Melzer from two sets up in 2010, he looked at himself. Since then, he has had the momentum.”
(see OPs quoted article above)

Think this explains perfectly why Vajda is coaching.
Nothing against Todd, he was a solid player but I believe he was just tinkering/testing the waters as it were:
I recall watching them on an outside court at Wimbledon & wondered what the he was doing with Novak's serve.

Importantly it has to be 1 message & both the player/coach have to believe, want it. I think this was a turning point for both of them.

Novak had to be patient and so did Marian - just clearly look at his Major's record as posted by Mainad:
5 wins 8 finals from 11 outings.
Boss